The Game Changers: Smith vs Rabada Battle Heats Up at Lord's
Tussle at the Hallowed Ground: Steve Smith and Kagiso Rabada Go Head-to-Head in Crunch Time during ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's
The tournament is abuzz as Australia and South Africa prepare to clash at the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the illustrious Lord's. One of the most anticipated face-offs is the head-to-head battle between star Aussie batter, Steve Smith, and Proteas' pace spearhead, Kagiso Rabada.
Bid for History
Australia aims to create history, retaining the WTC mace they claimed in 2023 after defeating India at The Oval. South Africa, on the other hand, aspires to defy years of heartbreak, bagging their inaugural world title in cricket.
The Smith-Rabada Showdown
The Smith-Rabada battle could well be the game-changer. In 15 innings they've faced off, Smith has scored 128 runs off Rabada in 262 deliveries, averaging 48.85 with a strike rate of 32.00, while Rabada has dismissed him four times. With 16 fours and two sixes off Rabada, Smith has displayed impressive power, but the contemporary speedster remains a thorn in his side.
Mastery at Home of Cricket
At the esteemed Lord's, Rabada boasts a shining average of 19.38, the best among all bowlers in the final with a minimum of two Tests at the venue. His standout performance includes 13 wickets in those two matches, with his best figures of 5/52[1][2].
Comparatively, Smith holds a commanding record, having made 525 runs in five Test matches and nine innings at an average of 58.33. He's amassed two centuries and two fifties, demonstrating his dominance at the legendary cricket ground[1][3].
Ready for More
Smith, following his remarkable 10,000-run achievement and four centuries in his last five Tests against India and Sri Lanka, relishes the prospect of squaring off against Rabada's formidable deliveries. Acknowledged for his sensational performance in ICC knockout matches, Smith has scored 584 runs in 12 matches and innings at an average of 58.40, featuring two centuries and four fifties[2].
Rabada seized a golden opportunity to elevate his statistics in Test and international cricket. With a few more wickets, he can trump South African pace legend Allan Donald to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests and surpass legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis in total international wickets for the Proteas[2].
Centuries and Wickets Galore
With a career total of 327 wickets in 70 Tests, Rabada continues to be a persistent threat. He boasts the best figures of 7/112 and 16 five-wicket hauls. Four more scalps would see Rabada bypass Donald, who recorded 330 wickets in a 72-Test career spanning 1992-2002. The record for the most Test wickets by a South African belongs to Dale Steyn, who boasts an impressive 439 wickets in 93 Tests[2].
In international cricket across all formats, Rabada sits in sixth place with 566 wickets in 241 appearances. Achieving seven more wickets will propel him above Kallis, who claimed 572 wickets in 513 matches[2]. The highest wicket-taker in international cricket for South Africa is Shaun Pollock, with an impressive 823 wickets in 414 matches[2].
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Engrossed in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final, the highly anticipated showdown between Steve Smith and Kagiso Rabada promises to shape the outcome of the match. As history beckons for both Australia, with its WTC mace on the line, and South Africa, striving to win its inaugural world title in cricket, the Smith-Rabada battle could well be the game-changer. The opinions surrounding this encounter are varied, with some rallying behind Smith's formidable batting prowess, while others admire Rabada's threat as a bowler in international sports.
